I was taking a walk through the woods one day, enjoying the fall colors before they faded. The brilliant reds of the maple trees and the golden to brown shades of the oak trees competed with the greens of the pine trees for my attention, when a sudden movement on my right won out. There I saw a tiny creature. At first, I thought it was a butterfly, but it was too frosty for butterflies. On closer inspection, I saw an exquisite face with green eyes and flowing blond hair.
"Don't hurt me!" she cried. The tiny voice sounded like music.
"You can talk?" I gasped.
After recovering from my astonishment, I noticed that her hair was tangled in a bayberry bush. As I reached to untangle the beautiful hair, she recoiled with fright.
" I'm not going to hurt you, " I said.
"My father will be here soon with the entire army," she countered.
" Oh, " I inquired, "Is it a big army?"
Unable to make eye contact, she answered, "Well, they are bigger than me, and there are many of them".
"How many?" I insisted.
Biting her lips she finally answered, "Three..."
Holding back a laugh, I pretended to be afraid, " Oh my, whatever shall I do! "
Her face brightened, "If you let me go, they won't hurt you!"
" Just what would they do to me"? "Well...they could stab you with their mighty swords."
" Have they ever taken on an adversary as large as me before? " I questioned.
"No...I don't think so, but they are very brave," she insisted.
With a final tug, I released her hair.
"Fly away now little one!" I implored.
Without a look back, her fragile wings sprang to life, and she was gone.
Had I really just had a conversation with a tiny fairy girl? Or was I daydreaming again?